Automatic top-lift grading and distributing machine



RY 2, 1929- L. A. COGSWELL 1.718.948

AUTOMATIC TOP LIFT GRADING AND DISTRIBUTING MACHINE Filed July 31. 19225 Sheets-Sheet l ,0, a; rQ Qyswadd .My 2, 1929.. L. A, cocaswl-zLLAUTOMATIC TOP LIFT GRADING: AND DISTRIBUTING MACHINE Filed July 151.1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 AUTOMATIC TOP LIFT GRADING AND DISTRIBUTINGMACHINE Filed July 31. 1922 I 5 $heets-Sheet 4 y 2, 1929. L. A. cosswsu.1.718.948 AUTOMATIC TOP LIFT GRADING AND DISTRIBUTING MACHINE Filed July31. 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patentedfluly 2, 1929. j

LEANIJER A COGSWELL, MANCHESTER, NEW

HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOB T LACEN E MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF MANCHESTER, NEWHAMPSHIRE, A CORPORA- TION 0F MAINE.

auroiuarro 'ror-nrrr GRADING AND n-rsrnrnorrne MACHINE.

Original application filed August 20,

This application is a division of an application filed by me for anautomatic toplift grading and distributing machine, August-20, 1921,Serial No. 494,009, to which reference is made for a full descriptlon ofthe objects and principles of the machine as a whole. The presentapplication has to do primarily with those features of theinventionwhich include, in the combination, skiving, splitting orevening devices.

Referring to the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of theiI1V8I1tlQI1,-

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my machine; Fig. 2 is a side view on a reducedscale, partially in cross section;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectlonal View on the line 3-3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view on the line 1-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a front view partly 1n section on the line 55 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary'view, partly 1n cross-section taken just back ofthe ratchet plate and looking to the right (Fig. 3) of the pawl andratchet mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal fragmentary v1ew illustrating-the mechanism foractuating the distributing chute;

Fig. 8 being a detailed view of the rack bar and sleeve shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of the feed hopper devices;

Fig. 10 being a view, partly in cross-section, on the line 1010 of Fig.9;

Figs. 11 and 12 are views similar respec--- tively to Figs. 9 and 10 butof a modified construction;

Figs. 11, 12 and 13 also show the blank guides and accompanyingmechanism, Flg. 13 being a horizontal cross-sectional view taken atabout the point of the broken top of the hopper, Fig. 2;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the lever and camconstruction acting to separate the feeding and gaging rolls;

Fig, 15 is a detailed view, partly in cross section, showing thetripping mechanism;

Figs. 16 and 17 and 18 are details of a modified form of blankseparating and feed-- ing device, Fig. 16 being a central verticalsection of a fragmentary portion thereof, Fig. 17 being a top plan viewof the blank enand feeding the blanks 1921, Serial No. 494,009. Dividedand this application filed .Tul 31, 1922. Serial No. 578,639.

gaging. reciprocator and Fig. 18 bottom plan view thereof;

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary view and side elevation 0f,a portion of thegate opening means; and

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary view in section showing, 1n side elevation, thedistributor unlocking trip. I In the more complete embodiment of mylnventlon as herein shown there are six princlpal elements or groups,viz, a hopper or blank supplying mechanism for supplying one by one tothe feelmg or detecting mechanism, said feeling or detecting'mechanismwhich transmits its determinations to a distributor, a setter or scttingmechanism which adjusts the distributor as Well as the skiving means,the blank being passed along to an evening or skiving mechanism fromwhich it is taken by at delivering mechanism and delivered to thedistributor, said distributor having meanwhile been adusted and set bythe distributor adjusting and setting mechanism. In carrying out myinvention I have availed myself of the principal parts of one type ofthe Nichols evening and grading machine, although it will be understoodthat I am not limited to this mechanism and that for instance the stackfeature may be omitted and that my invention in its principal objectsmay be carried out in connection with various other grading mechagradingmechanisms.-

nisms or splitting and The feed roll 1 and chain 2, detector or feelerplate 3 (and a detector orfeeler roll 1 in connection therewith thefacilitate the movement of the blanks) above which is a yoke 5 engagedadjacent its opposite ends by bell crank levers 6 and 7 held undertension at their upper ends by an equalizer spring 8, and said yokecarrying vertical feelers or feeler posts or detectors 9 and 10connected at 11 to arms 12 extending from a rock shaft 13, may be andare in general type the same being a as in the Nichols Patent,1,046.213, dated Dec.

3. 1912. The feeling or detecting andtransmitting and adjustingmechanismsmf my present machine are substantially the same, at least ingeneral type, as in said patent and accordingly I have not undertakenherein to show all the details thereof. As herein shown a crank 14 is onthe right hand end,

Fig. 5, of rock shaft 13 and connects pivotally at 15, Fig. 7, to apivotally mounted sector 16, having on its under side teeth 17(corresponding to the teeth 34 of said patent). A second sector,provided with a segmental rack 19, is pivotally mounted on the same axison which sector 16 is pivoted, and on the opposite side of such axis. Anabutment 16 on sector 16 engages a corresponding abutment 19 on theother sector, so that when sector 16 is turned on its axiscontra-clockwise the segmental rack 19 and sector 16 will move togetheras one piece; but the sector 16 is free to turn in a clockwise directionindependently of rack 19. The segmental rack 19 meshes with pinion 20,whose shaft 21 carries at its upper end a similar pinion 22 inengagement with a slidmg rack bar 23 mounted in the cross head 24, seeFig. 3, and provided on its under side and opposite ends.

with depending inclines or cam stops 25 to cooperate with reverseinclines 26 fixed on the journal boxes or bearings 27 which carry theopposite ends of the pressure gage roll 28, all operating to control thesplitting as ad usted in response to the adjusting mechanism as 1nsaidPatent 1,046,213. The sliding bar 23 carrying the step ed inclinesor wedges 25 is normally urge by spring 23 (Fig. 1) toward the front ofFig. 1, that is, in the direction to cause the stepped inclines 25 toseparate from the stepped inclines 26 and to cause the 'segmenal rack 19to swing in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 7. Therefore if thestepped inclines 25, 26 are out of engagement and the bar 23 is free toshift under the influence of spring 23, the abutment 19' will follow theabutment 16' and remain in engagement therewith as the sector 16 swingsin a clockwise direction. If however a piece of stock is between rolls28 and 29 the lower stepped wedges 26 will be firmly clamped against theupper stepped wedges 25 thereby rigidly holding the slide bar 23immovable. If now the sector 16 should .be actuated in a clockwisedirection by a succeedingblank, while the preceding blank is stillbetween rolls 28 and 29, the sector 16 is free to swing in a clockwisedirection independently of rack 19. Ordinarily the blanks will be ofsuch dimensions and the machine will be so timed that this independentmovement of sector 16 will be unnecessary, and all practicalrequirements will generally be served if 16 and 19 are united in fixedrelation to each other or made in one solid piece. But under certaincircumstances it might be advantageous to provide for such independentmovement of sector 16. Beneath the upper gage or feed roll 28 is a lowerfeed roll 29 held yieldingly upward by springs 30 to cooperate with theskiving or splitting knife 31 (shown as the knife construction of Patent1,205,104 to Nichols). The work travels over a bed,32 beneath a shoe orpresser plate 33 pivotally supported ieldingly at 34 from.

abracket35. The drives iaft 36, Fig. 2, drives a sprocket chain 37 andsprocket wheel 38 on whose shaft 39 is a inion 40 meshing with a gear 41whose sha t 42 carries the sprocket wheel 43, Fig. 3, which drives thesprocket chain2whichinturn drivesthe front feed roll 1. The shaft 36also carries a gear 44 in mesh with a pinion 45 which enga es a gear 46on the near end, Figs. 1 and 2. 0% the upper outfeed roll or pressureroll 28. On its farther end, Figs. 1 and 2, the main shaft 36 has apinion 47 which drives the gear 48 of the lower out-feed roll 29.

I have illustrated my invention in connection with the foregoingmechanism which is or may be in general ty e substantially the same asin the Nichols atent No. 1,046,213 before mentioned, but it will beunderstood that although I have utilized much of this old mechanism, therelations and combinations in which it is used are new and enable me toproduce the automatic feeding, gaging, evening and distributing as willbe understood in the course of the following description, and enable meto accomplish the final result with speed and accuracy.

For convenience, and preferably, the feeding is accomplished from astack, the blanks 49 being herein shown as deposited between astationary but adjustable front wall 50 and a fixed rear wall 51. Thelatter is shown in detail in Figs. 1, 2, 913. This wall 51 carrieslateral vertical guides 52 held in true vertical parallelism by lateralmembers 53 fitting transverse grooves 54 in the front of the upright 51,and they are simultaneously moved toward or from each other by a rightand left hand screw 55 mounted to turn in a fixed bracket 56 andcarrying opposite nuts or arms 57 extending thereto from the respectiveguide uprights 52, so that when the guide screw 55 is turned over to theleft, Fig. 2 and Fig. 13, the guides 52 will be separated to fit widerstock than previously might have been in the hopper. My machine isespecially constructed to handle thin and difficult work. One diificultywith the previous machine (Patent No. 1,281,639) was that it might feedtwo pieces of work at the same time, particularly such as thintop-lifts, and accordingly to prevent this I have mounted on the lowerend of the rear of the hopper blank retarders, one form being shown inFigs. 9 and 10 and another form in Figs. 11 and 12. Referring to Figs. 9and 10 it will be seen that a bar 58 is mounted to move up and down in away 59 provided at the rear of the wall 51, said bar being held downyieldingly b a spring 60 and provided with a beveled oot 61 in positionto be engaged by the lower pieces of work, such as top-lifts. Thus whena top-lift is moved rearward in the machine by the feeding mechanism itmoves against the foot 61 with only slight resistance at the of thetable 74;-

veryl bottom edge of said foot but if a second or t ird top-lift shouldbe accidentally moved along frictionally by. and with the bottom mosttop-lift said upper lifts will engage forcibly against theupper portionof the foot and will thereby be held back as. the only way the saidupper top lifts can get through is against the frictional resistance ofthe foot 61 and the resistance of the spring 60. This form of retarderis especially adapted to very small and thin top lifts. The form shownin Figs. 11 and 12 consists of two depending deflectors 62 pivoted at 63in the lower ends of the guides 52 and normally held downward by springs64 but otherwise acting very much the same as the foot 61. Oppositethese deflectors or at the rear side of the front wall l cut away saidwall to provide a beveled recess 65 which enables the lower top lifts todrop down more readily to position for being fed into the machine whenthe reciprocating device returns after having fed forward the bottommostblank. If this wall were straight without said recess there would be africtional resistance which might result in the next blank remainingstuck or not dropping into feeding position. In Figs. 1 and 3 I haveshown a feed hook or work projector in the form of a hook 66 held underupward tendency by a spring 67 and pivoted at 68 to an adjustable plate69 engaged by a yieldin stud 70 held in a carrier '71 at the upper en ofa reciprocating post 72, said carrier being mounted to reciprocate inways 73 in the top which carries the hopper and blank engaging mechanismthus far de scribed. As my machine is especially arranged to handle verysmall piece of stock such as small sizes of heel lifts for instance, itis necessary that the reciprocator or work projector 66 shall move veryclose to the rolls l and t, so that the bevel or inclination of saidprojector between its pivot and the en gaging shoulder or hook has to bequite steep. in view of this fact, together with the necessity forhandling curled and often very thin pieces of stock l have provided ateach side of the raceway 73 stationary inclines 75 which serve to holdthe rear edge of even badly lid in such a position that is sure toengage said pieces suilicurled pieces of stock the hook ciently to haveshown a formof projector which can handle still smaller pieces of stock(because it can go closer to the feed and detecting rolls). This formconsists of a projector plate 76 having a short bevel 77 and mounted onan adjacent plate 78 substantially the same as plate 69. a Preferablythis plate 7 6 is roughened or knurled at its top 7 9to aid in bringingback the next or second top lift when the first has just been fed orprojected. The projector 66 and connected parts are actuated by a rotaryshaft 8(lwhose crank 81 is connected by a link 82 to the reciprocatingpost 72, said cording-1y one of the features on cam lever 88 whoseproject them. In Figs. 1618 T rotary shaft being actuated by a gear 83on its outer end, see Figs. 1 and 2,.meshing with an idler '84 inengagement with a clutch gear 85 normally idle but actuated at the proer moment to engage a continuously rotating clutch part 86 feed rollshaft which carries the roll 1.

As before emphasized, my invention is specially adapted to handlediflicult stock (such as curled and thin and small pieces) and acwhich Iplace special emphasis is the provision of means for separating theingoing rolls 1 and 4 of the detecting mechanism and raising the gate 87(which, however, in my machine performs more the function of a 'tripthan of a gate proper), so that even the thinnest or most re fractorystock is sure to get in place between the detector rolls. Without thisfeature such stock would be apt to turn up against the gate or wedge orcrumple against the rolls,

I down on it in the performance of their feeling or detecting operationand at the same time the gate or trip 87 falls on the top surface of thestock where it rests until the stock passes out from under it. The gateis lifted by a gages the arm 90 of the gate, said cam lever beingpivotally connected at 91 to the under side of the table and having itscam portion in position to be engaged by the swinging end 92 of thecrank 81 fast on the inner end of the shaft .80, see Figs. 2 and 19 asbefore described. The upper roll a is lifted by gagement of a cam 93mounted on the shaft 80, with a tripping shoulder 94: of a yoke 95, seeFigs. 3, 5 and ll, pivoted to the frame at 96 and whose opposite ends 97project under the opposite ends of the upper roll a in posi tion to liftsaid roll under the actuation of the cam 93. The top lift or pieceofstock is carried along from the feeler or detecting mechanism by thechain 2 to the outgoing rolls 28, 29 where it is evened by the skivingknife 31 in accordance with the thinness measurement or 'dGliQCblOIl towhlch sald rolls have been set,

blank is then intwodelivery rolls 98 and and the evened or skivedstantly grabbed by 99, F by a pinion 100, Fig. 2, and idler 101 which isin turn driven by the pinion d1.

These rolls 98, 99, have several important and striking functions buttheir main purpose is to insure delivery of the blank and also to makesure of a quick delivery. The main purpose of an automatic feeding, anddistributing machine is to save labor, and therefore such a machine, tobe successful, must do the workquicker than skilled hand labor. Hencethe parts of my machine are so coordinated that they hurry the blankinto the the en-v 70 fast on the outer end of the free end 89 looselyen- I llO igs. 1, 2 and 3, the former being driven machine and hurry itout of the machine with no liability of the blanks sticking or pausingor being delayed at any point. Therefore the rolls 98, 99 are rovided toseize the blank and propel it rapidl forward into a chute 102 providedfor it for istributing the successive lanks to different receptaclesaccording to their grade. A secondfunction of these rolls which alsoconduces to speed is due to the arrangement by means of which theypositively and instantly start the blank feeding mechanism and means forraising the gate and separating the ingoing rolls the instant that theoutgoing blank has proceeded far enough to be sure of being distributedbefore the chute 102 changes to the next osition. As herein shown thisis accomplis ed by providing a cam 103, see Fig. 3, on or as a part ofthe roll 99 to engage an arm 104 on a rock shaft 105 provided at itsouter end, Fig. 2, with a rocker arm 106 connected by a link 107 to atrigger or actuator 108 pivoted at 109 on an adjacent stationary part ofthe machine and depending to engage and actuate the free end 110 of acam carrier bar 111 pivoted at 112 to the frame of the machine whose camor cam plate 113 is best shown in Fig. 1 in position to engage a pin 114projecting into its path from the loose clutch member 85, and springs115, 116 being preferably provided to insure nick and proper positioningof the parts. bus as soon as the roll 99 has rotated sufliciently in itswork of delivering or ejecting the skived blank toswing the arm 104rearward the clutch is thereby connected so as instant- 1y1 to start thefeeding of.th e next blank and t e raising of the gate 87 and theseparation of the rolls 1, 4 to receive said blank. In view of thedifference in lengths of different blanks and other technicalrequirements of the stock, I have made the free end of the arm 104adjustable by means of a slot 117 and wing nut 118. If desired also thisfree end of the arm may depend as shown at 119 in the path of the blankso that if the cam 103 is not used the blank itself will hit the arm orthis depending portion 119 thereof and accomplish the tripping of theclutch. The roll 98 is positively driven but as herein shown the roll 99is driven by the engagement therewith of the stock, and is returned toits original position by a spring 120 wound aroundits farther end, Fig.1, and secured at one end to the bracket or journal and at the other endto the roll.

To insure that the rolls 98, 99 shall invariably grip the work, andbearing in mind that sometimes the front edge of a piece of stock may beslightly thinner than the body of the stock, or movement gage roll 28.To this end the journal box 121 of the roll 99, see Fig. 3, is mountedfor vertical adjustment on the box 27, of the roll 28, bein carried in araceway 122 therein and rovided with a stud 123 extending up from thebox 121 and limited by a nut 124 in its downward movement and heldagainst said nut yieldin ly by a spring 125 within the raceway. hisgives a capacity for regulating the tension of the roll 99 andpermitting it to be normally slightly nearer the roll 98 than theadjustment of the roll 28 from the skiving knife 31. This constructionalso gives, a capacit for compressing the stock when desirable orcertain qualities of blanks. The gate constitutes verning means tocontrol t e admission'o blanks to the grade'detector means and is itselfunder the control of the above-described actuating means.-

I will now describe the mechanism which adjusts and sets the blankdistributor. Pivoted at 126 on the gate is :1. depending link 127 bestshown in Figs. 3 and 15. This link 127 is pivotally connected at 128 tothe free end of a bell crank 129 whose lower end 130 engages a pin 131,see Fig. 7, of the detent 132 to hold the same back to the right, 7 and15, a spring 133 moving said detent 1n the opposite direction .to engagethe locking teeth 18 of the segmental ratchet 16. As the blank gets inposition between the feeler or detecting rolls and the latter begintheir feeling or thinness-detecting o ration the front edge of the blankstrikes t e upper end of a trip 134, see Figs. 3 and 15 (andcorresponding substantially to the finger 46 or to the roll trip 43 ofPatent 1,046,213), carried by shaft 135 and normally held towards saidrolls by a spring 136, said shaft having an arm 137 connected by a link138 to lift a depressing arm 139 which is pivoted at 140 to the frame ofthe machine and normall depresses 0r holds out of enga ement wit theteeth 17 the awl 141, see ig. 6, said pawl being norma ly under tendencyto move upward b a spring 142. As the work is fed between t e detectingrolls 1, 4 and said rolls approach each other in engagement with saidwork the sector 16 is swung around'to the left, Fig. 6 and right orcontra-clockwise, Fig.

7 (it being understood that the sector has been moved to the right, Fig.6, or left or clockwise Fig. 7 prior to this time when the rolls 1 and 4were separated) and the successive increments of thinness measurementare preserved by the en agement of the pawl 141 with the teeth 17. igidwith the sector 19 is an arm 143 bifurcated at its free end 144, Fig. 3,to embrace a sleeve 145 and provided with a vertical pin 146 passingthrough the upper and lower slots 147 in said sleeve. This sleeve at itsleft has a ratchet 148. A rod 149 reciprocates in said sleeve and isrovided on its under side with a notched ock plate 150, see also Fig. 8,whose right hand end, Fig. 3, constitutes a stop to abut againstsleeve145 and at its rear end said rod 149 has a rack 151 1n engagement with apinion.

102. The pinion 152 and shaft 153 are carried by a housing and bracket154, see Figs. 2, 3 and 7. Arelatively light spring 155 is fastened atone end to a stud 156 on this bracket and at its opposite end to a pin157 projecting from the rack bar 149. tive'ly heavy spring 158 issecured at one end to said pin 157 and at its opposite end to a pin 159on the sleeve 145. Cooperating with the lock plate 150 is a dog 160mounted on a rod 161 and under nori'nal upward impulse by a spring 162,said rod being given Vertical movement by a trip bar or unlocking shoe163, see Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 20, said shoe being mounted at its pivotalend on any convenient member herein shown as loosely mounted on theshaft 135. The trip bar 163 is actuated by the blank passing through themachine. Un the rod 161 is secured a block 164 and here also ispreferably a spring 165 for giving further upward impulse or tendency tothe rod and all connected parts, said block 164 being engaged on itsupper side by the upper end of a hook 166 secured at its lower 1 end toa dog or latch 167 in position to engage the ratchet 148. Thus .whilethe top lift or piece of work is being felt of and its determinationstransmitted to the sector 16 and adjacent setting mechanism andtherefrom to the rack and wedge bar 23, 25, the pin 146 of the arm 143is being simultaneously and similarly adjusted and when finally the gate87 falls and brings the feeler transmissions to a halt by locking saidsector by means of its detent 132, said pin 146 likewise comes to ahalt, thereby preserving the same final thinness measurement thatcorresponds to the adjustment of the sector 16. As the latch 167 hasbeen in a raised position out of engagement with the ratchet 148 durinthis adjustment of said pin 146 it follows that the sleeve 145 has beenfree to be moved by said pin in case the position in which it was leftwhen the preceding blank was beingdetected requires said movement.Usually this is the case. The spring 158 always holds the sleeve as faras it can to the left, Figs. 3, 7, and 8. All the adjustment securedtakes place without disturbing the chute 102. When roll 4 is raised,sector 16 is thereby usually swung forward or around to the left,clockwise, Fig. 7 the extent de pending upon the grade of blank to whichthe parts were previously set. As previously set, the sleeve 145 isagainst the stop or right hand end, Fig. 3, of lock plate 150 and thepin 146 is against the right hand end of slot 147. It chute 102 is thenat the near side Fig. 1, to deliver a blank into the receptacle 168 forthe thinnest blank being handled, say 3-iron, and the succeeding blankproves to be a 3-iron blank the parts will remain unchanged, exceptingthat the pin 146 will move out to the left in the slot as the roll 4 israised and will then go back again to its A relab 146 and is stoppedjust original position. But if the blank proves to be a thicker blank,say 4iron 5-iron, or 6-ir0n (the latter calling for a final positioningof the chute 102 as shown in the drawings) the arm 143 and its pin 146will e adjusted in the slot 147 to the left Figs. 3 and 7, and then whenthe detent 160 is unlocked from the lock plate 150 the spring 155 willpull the parts to the left until the right hand end of slot 147 strikesagainst the pin thereby. If however the chute 102 is not set for a thinblank. but is set for a thick blank, say 9-iron, to deliver into thereceptacle 168 at the extreme rear of Fig. 1, and the next blank beingdetected proves to be a thinner blank, say 6, 7, or 8-1ron, theadjusting movement of the arm 143 and pin 146 in response to thedetection of the feeler mechanism will be to the right Figs. and 7,thereby separating the sleeve from its stop, the pin 146 maintainingcontmuous engagement with the right hand end of slot 147 and when thedetection of said succeeding blank is completed and the arm 143 lockedin its adjustment, the unlocking of the detent 160 permits the heavyspring 158 instantly to bring together the sleeve against the stop 150thereby pulling around to the right the parts 149, 152, 153 and 102 andagainst the resistance of spring 155. After the preceding blank has beendelivered by the chute to the receptacle for which the chute was set,the lock plate 150 is disengaged by the next succeeding blank, whichpresses down the shoe 163 and unlocks the detent 160, and thereupon thesleeve and stop or right hand end of said lock plate are broughttogether by the spring 158, it not already together, and all theconnected parts are moved so far as may be required by the newadjustment of the settin mechanism due to the succeeding blank which hasmeanwhile been felt of, said movement bein accomplished by either thespring 158 or t e spring 155 as just explained, leaving the parts withthe pin 146 hard against the right hand end of the slot 147 and thesleeve and stop together. As soon as said next succeeding blank passesclear of the shoe 163 the rod 149 is again locked by detent 160 and soremains until the said succeeding blank for which it has just been sethas passed through the evening mechanism and been delivered into its proer receptacle 168. In other words the mec anism is so arranged that saidchute is left undisturbed and looked as long as possible so as to besure to receive and distribute the blank discharged from the rolls 98,99 before the adjusting operation begins on said chute for the nextblank. This construction, therefore, tends to increase the speed that ispossible in handling blanks. In other words the succeeding blank isbeing fed into the machine and its thinness determined and saiddetermination transmitted and the distribusuccee'ding tor adjusted inaccordance therewith, all excepting the chute, while the precedin blankis being fed out of the machine, disc arged,

I and distributed'by the chute. Said chute is chine. Thus the chute 102delivers the blank into the selected receptacle 168, Fi 1, and as theblanks are ejected positively provide a guard or deflector 169 toprevent their under control from said grade determining umping beyond oraway from the chute. In

means but adjusted or set out of time with the latters adjusting controlof the evening mechanism or splitter. Instantly upon the discharge anddistribution of the blank by the chute, the succeeding blank comes intocontact with the unlocking shoe 163 which through the parts 161 and 160unlocks the lock plate 150, whereupon the sprmg 155 or some cases, asfor chrome leather, it is sometimes desirable that the roll 99 beheated, as by a gas jet 170.

In operation, let it. be supposed that the,

hopper is filled with top lifts 49, it will be seen that the bottom liftwill be held at its opposite sides or'edges slightly raised at its rearby the stubby inclines 75 and the rear 158 instantly actuates said rackbar and causes end,s of this lift and adjacent lifts will be out thesame to rock or rotate the chute in ac' vcordance with the position ofthe pin 146.

At'the same moment that the dog 160 was movement to the right, althoughit may move to the left by either the spring 155, or spring 158 as maybe required to bring the right hand end of the slot 147 against the pin146 now stationary in its-new adjustment or to cause the sleeve 145 andthe lock plate 150 to abut so that by the time the chute 102 has swungto its new position under the influence of one or the other of saidsprings the parts are practically locked so' as to resist the rebound ofsaid chute and hold the same steady in the new adjustment. As soon asthe blank which has caused this operation by depressing the shoe 163passes from said shoe between the rolls 28, 29, the shoe springs up andthereby causes the detent 160 to look into the lock plate 150 andthereby hold thechute 102 immovable in its new adjustment while at thesame time releasing the sleeve 145 and right hand end of the setting oradjusting mechanism of the distributor so that said mechanism is nowfree to be adjusted and set again by the next blank to be fed.

The feeding of said next blank takes place at about the same instantunder the tripping 'action resulting from the cam 103 of the roll 99acting through the parts which connect therefrom to the feedingmechanism at the previously have been set, whereas here the offrictional engagement with the front wall because of the recess 65, sothat the projector hook 66 or plate 76 will be sure to engage positivelythe rear end of the small, thin top lift as it reciprocates forwardunder the action of its slide 71 and the connected parts 72, 82, 80, 83,84 etc. Just as the forward end of this top lift nearly reaches the gate87 the same rotary movement of the shaft 80 which moves the blankprojector causes the arm 81 to en age the cam 88, Fig. 2, and Fig. 19and thereby lift the gate out of the path of the inwardly moving blank.Likewise the top roll 4 is moved upwardly out of the way of the blank,this movement being accomplished through the rotation of the same shaft80 and the action of its cam 93, see Fig. 14, on the parts 94, 95, 97,and as soon as the leading end of the blank gets just between the rolls1, 4, the roll 4 closes down tight upon it in feeling position,whereupon, the trip 134 having been actuated, the feeling or detectingoperation takes plate as in Patent No. 1,046,213, and is transmitted tothe central adjusting or setting mechanism 16, 17, 19 and 141 by theconnections 10,11, 12, 13, 14, 15, Fi s. 1, 3, 6, 7 and as the blankmoves from under the gate 87 the latter drops and through the parts 127,129, 131, 132 and 18, looks the said portion of the setting mechanism inits then adjustment. This adjusting and setting mechanism has set thecam stops 25 thereby controlling the gage roll 28 and hence thesplitting opera tion, and has also by reason of the rigid arm 143adjusted the pin 146 (and usually the sleeve 145) into proper positionfor the subsequent movement of the distributing chute 102 in accordancewith the position of adjustment movement is minimized and is usuallysimply of the detecting mechanism as thus deterfrom one receptacle 168tothe next selected one, and the chute and connected parts do not alwayshave to move back to the front position Fig. 1, and thence swing aroundeach time through a relatively-large circuit. In other words, I haveprovided mechanism which goes from one adjustment to the next and doesnot have to swing back to a given starting point and then swing fromthat starting point through the whole range to the next adjustment. Thistends materially to aid in increasing the speed or output of the maminedby the feeling or detecting operation on the blank. As the rolls 1 and 4and the chain 2 feed the blank onward the front end of the blank engagesthe unlocking shoe 163, Figs. 1, 3 and 20, thereby depressing said shoeand through the parts 161, 164, 166, 167 and 148 unlocking the rackbar149 (by the disengagement of its lock plate 150 and dog 160) andengaging the sleeve 145 so that the spring 155 or 158 instantl swingsthe chute 102 around to the blank elivering position which correspondsto the thinness determination and setting of the parts thus far exlained. The tendency to rebound is prevente by the spring 158 and theratchet members 148, 167. As the blank continues onward it is engagedbetween the rolls 28, 29 and skived by the knife 31 being then grabbedby the positively driven roll 98 and the frictionally driven roll 99 andforcibly and positively ejected into the chute'102 to fall into theproper can, bag, or other receptacle 168. While the blank is beingejected the next blank is being fed in and while the first blank isfalling and getting into its receptacle the fed-in blank is beingdetected and the detections are being transmitted to the settingmechanism, so that the latter has adjusted the right hand end of theadjusting and controlling mechanism of the distributor by the time it ispracticable to adjust the distributor, and then this right hand end ofthe mechanism which has just been adjusted is locked and the left handend thereof unlocked so that the two can be brought into completeadjustment by means of the springs 155, 158 and connections. 1 In otherwords the parts are so coordinated that a maximum economy of time ismade possible and therefore a high rate of speed in handling the smallpieces of stock results. As the frictionally driven roll 99 is rotatedby engagement with the blank being ejected its cam 103, Figs. 1-3, isthereby turned to swing thearm 104 outward and thereby through theconnections 105, 106, 107, 108, 111, 113, and 114 release themovableclutch member 85, Figs. 1 and 5, to engage the constantlyrotating member 86 and thereby through the parts 84, 85, 81, 82, 72,etc. start the blank feeding mechanism to repeat the cycle of movementsalready described.

While I have shown my invention applied to a machine especially designedfor handling small pieces such as top-lifts, heel-lifts, taps,halt-soles and the like, it is not limited thereto as it will beunderstood that it may readily be changed in dimensions to accommodatesoles and other relatively long and lar e dried-out pieces. Theinclusion of a spiltting knife or means does not restrict certain of theclaims to blank-evening, but is intended to include, for instance, sucha splitter as in my application Ser. No- 577,700 July 26, 1922. Althoughthe specific skiving means herein illustrated are blank evening means,the expressions skiving or splitting means, as used throughout thespecification and claims, are used generically unless otherwise requiredby the context. Also I wish it understood that many of the separatemechanisms and various sub-combinations and rearrangements of parts aspointed out in the claims are separately within the spirit and scope ofmy invention and that I am not limited otherwise than defined in thefollowing claims.

led f What I claim is:

1. A machine of the kind described, comprislng means for automaticallyfeeding successive blanks of uneven thicknesses, means for detecting therade of said blanks according to their thic ness, governing means tocontrol the admission of blanks to the detecting means, skiving means tosplit the blanks in accordance with their respective thickness grades,means for sorting and distributing the split blanks in accordance withtheir respective thickness grades, and actuating means to actuate sa1dgoverning means to admit a succeeding blank before a preceding blank hasbeen distributed.

2. A machine of the kind described, having means for detectingsuccessive blanks accordng to their thickness and setting meansadustable in accordance with the grade detection combined with automaticoperating mechanism responsive to the setting means to operate on theblanks as detected, including sklvlng means and distributing mechanism,a gatecontrolled by the position of a blank or looking said settingmeans against fur ther detecting adjustment, and independent trippingmeans also controlled by the position of a blank for locking andunlocking said distributing mechanism.

a. In a machine of the kind described,

grade determining mechanism for determining the thin spot among aplurality of spots of varying thickness in each of a plurality of unevenleather pieces, and evening mechanlsm to even the piece in accordancewith the grade thus determined and adj ustable in response to said gradedetermining mechanism, combined with a swinging, blank distributing,gravity chute automatically rotatable to predetermined deliveringositions according to their thus determine grades, said distributingchute being controlled by said grade determining means and meansactuated by the blank to cause the chute to swing to its deliveryposition out of time with the adjusting controlof said eveningmechanism.

4. A machine of the kind described, having, in combination, gradedetermining mechanism for determining the thickness to which a blankshall be split, an automatic feed for ceding successive blanks to saidmechanism, splitting means, and sorting mechanism for receiving thesuccessive blanks in accordance with the thickness thus determined andto which they have been split, said feeding mechanism being operable tofeed in a blank while a preceding blank is being sorted.

5. In a machine of the kind described, grade determining mechanism fordetermining the thin spot among a plurality of spots of varyingthickness in each of a plurality of uneven blanks, a splitting knife,and mecha nism co-operating with said knife adjustable in response tosaid grade determining mechanism, combined with distributing mechanismfor thereafter sorting the split blanks according to their said grades,said distributing mechanism including delivering means under controlfrom said grade determining means but operated by the blank out of timewith the adjusting control of said adjustable mechanism. i

6. In a machine of the kind described, automatic skiving mechanism andautomatic distributing mechanism actuated in accordance with thethickness of each blank, includ-.

ing a swinging blank-distributin gravity chute automatically rotatableto de nite predetermined delivering positions for the blanks, andautomatic locking mechanism for locking said two mechanisms before anddurthrough the machine for actuating said governing means to admit asucceeding blank to the detectin means before a preceding blank has leftthe istributing chute.

8. A machine of the kind described, having means-for detecting the gradeof successive blanks according to their thickness, overning means tocontrol the admission 0 blanks to the detecting means, skiving means tosplit the blanks in accordance with their grades as determined by thedetectin means, a blank distributing chute adapte to deliver the skivedblanks in accordance with their grades, and means located between theskiving means and the distributing chute and operated by the blankspassing through the machine for actuating said governing means to admita succeeding blank to the detecting means be fore a preceding blank hasleft the distributing chute.

9. A machine. of the kind described having, in combination, splittingmeans for splitting a series of blanks to different thicknesses,automatic means operated by each blank to govern the thickness to whichit shall be split, and distributing mechanism arranged to cooperate withsaid splitting means to distribute the blanks and'adjustable in responseto said automatic means, and means actuated by the blank to cause thedistributing means to move to its position of adjustmentdissimulta'neously with the adjustment of the splittin means.

igned by me at Manchester, New Hampshire, this 27th day of July, 1922.

LEANDER A. coGsWELL.

